The ISOCARP 2020 annual Congress (International Society for City and Regional Planners), that is taking place between November 2020 and February 2021, and co-hosted by UN-Habitat and the Urban Economic Forum, has this year been defined under the theme “Post-Oil City – Planning for Urban Green Deals”.
The “Urban Regeneration Forum”, one of the Special Sessions of the Congress, was held on Wednesday December 9, 2020, bringing together experiences and case studies of sustainable urban regeneration from different parts of the globe.
The main topics discussed on the event revolved around integrating urban regeneration and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a response to the negative impacts of uncontrolled city growth, successful PPPP (Public Private Partnership Project) models for regeneration areas, and demonstrating how urban regeneration has a significant role on improving economic and social conditions.
The session comprised presentations with different focus of urban regeneration projects: from integrating historical and cultural assets in Doha downtown, to provision of public space as a revitalization asset along Brussels Canal Zone, and community engagement and social cohesion aspects for the regeneration of Regent Park in Toronto.
UN-Habitat presented its Flagship Programme on Urban Regeneration, and the Global Future Cities Programme “SDG Project Assessment Tool”, as a mechanism to ensure urban regeneration projects leverage their maximum potential to address the implementation of the SDGs and the New Urban Agenda.
In addition, UN-Habitat concluded with the introduction of the World Urban Pavilion, an initiative within the UN-Habitat SDG Cities Flagship programme, and in partnership with Daniels Corporation, Urban Economic Forum, ISOCARP, and the City of Toronto. The Pavilion, aims to provide the space for a local, national, and global forum where new, innovative approaches and ideas to sustainable urban development can be collected, displayed, and discussed.
To learn more about the ISOCARP 56th World Planning Congress, visit https://doha2020.isocarp.org/